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Vision Zero Congestion: Inter-organizational Collaboration and School Traffic Management

Author(s): Zeglen

Slidedeck Presentation Only (no paper submitted):

8A - Zeglen

Abstract:

The City of Toronto's Vision Zero Road Safety Plan was adopted in July of 2016, and has a goal of eliminating death and serious injuries resulting from collisions. The plan has 6 emphasis areas, including school children. Using an evidence-based prioritization process, the City of Toronto is adding 'School Safety Zones' (SSZs) to all schools across the City beginning in 2017. These SSZs include features such as improved signage, driver feedback signs, enhanced pedestrian crosswalk markings and speed reductions on streets with schools. The City has also brought together key partners, including public health, police and transportation services, as part of the broader plan to improve road safety.

Aligning itself with these efforts, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) developed a School Traffic Management (STM) program to complement the City's SSZs. The STM program will work with schools scheduled to receive SSZs, and will include additional data collection, site-specific improvements to engineering of the school property, targeted enforcement of dangerous driver behaviours specific to the school neighbourhood, safety education for all road users, and encouragement of active and sustainable modes of transportation. The STM program will be led by a facilitator assigned to work with 15 schools per year. The facilitator will act as a liaison between school communities and stakeholders at the school board, city, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations. Schools are unique sites for influencing attitudes and choices around road safety and travel mode. At the school scale, the objective of this intervention is to reduce congestion and improve road safety through a holistic approach. At a larger scale, the objective is to work collaboratively with stakeholders across organizations toward long-term planning for traffic management at all school sites and adjacent neighbourhoods. School Children, Parents of School Children, School Staff A facilitator will work closely with 15 schools each year over 3 years, drawing on the School Travel Planning process to provide structure to the program. This process includes creation and leading of a School Traffic Management Committee, made up of members of the school community, and liaising with other stakeholders, including the City of Toronto and TDSB, to coordinate inter-organizational collaboration on shared goals of reducing traffic congestion and improving safety at school sites. It also includes data collection, action planning and implementation of a range of action items toward increasing rates of active school travel and reducing safety risks related to traffic congestion on and around each school site. Each School Traffic Management Committee will work to create the following deliverables: a detailed Action Plan for addressing traffic congestion at each school; a 'Routes to School' Map; and a School Traffic Management Plan to guide policy and planning at the board level. The program will also aim to deliver increased rates of active school travel through targeted education and encouragement initiatives at each school. These deliverables will feed into discussions among City, TDSB and other stakeholders.